Make sure to follow us on Twitter to get live updates on our sim games

Calgary leads best of 5 series 2-1

Leaders:

Goals

VGK: Marchessault (4)

CGY: Monahan (5)

Assists

VGK: Stastny/Smith/Karlsson (3)

CGY: Gustafsson/Andersson (5)

Points

VGK: Marchessault (4)

CGY: Monahan (9)

Goalies

VGK: Lehner (1-2-0) 2.90 GAA .909 Sv%

CGY: Rittich (4-1-0) 2.14 GAA .945 Sv% 2 SO

---

Calgary Flames 4 - Vegas Golden Knights 3 (OT)

Scoring

Calgary Flames

1st: 8:00- Andersson (2) (Mangiapane [3], Backlund [4])

2nd: 17:36- Monahan (3) (Lindholm [3])

3rd: 15:00 PPG- Monahan (4) (Giordano [3], Mangiapane [4])

OT: 3:30- Monahan (5) (Andersson [5], Gustafsson [5])

Vegas Golden Knights

1st: None

2nd: 14:15- Marchessault (3) (Tuch [1])

3rd: 11:16- Marchessault (4) (Smith [3], Stastny [3]), 16:14- Stone (3) (Martinez [1], Karlsson [3])

OT: None

Recap

Thanks to an absolutely brilliant performance by Sean Monahan, the Flames took a 2-1 lead in their Best of 5 series with the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday afternoon. Monahan recorded a hat trick in the win which was the first playoff hat trick for the Flames franchise in the playoffs since Theo Fleury scored four goals against the San Jose Sharks on May 13 1995. Monahan became just the sixth Flame to ever record a playoff hat trick (Paul Reinhart x2, Hakan Loob, Theo Fleury, Mike Sullivan, and Doug Riseborough).

The Flames have pushed the Knights to the brink of elimination and can finish things off in Game 4 on Monday night.

Things started well for the Flames as they tallied the first goal of the game for the third time in the series. It was Rasmus Andersson who did the damage this time, scoring his second goal and sixth point of the playoffs. A nice setup play by the 3M line gave Andersson tons of room to walk right in and put a wrister under Lehner’s blocker for the 1-0 lead.

Calgary would carry that lead through most of the second period until Jonathan Marchessault scored his third goal of the series to even things up.

The Flames would almost immediately retake the lead though thanks to a brilliant play by Elias Lindholm to bat a Knights breakout pass out of midair, then find Monahan on a 2-on-1 for a tap in goal. That would do it for the 2nd period with Calgary up 2-1 and up on shots 22-19.

It would be Marchessault again tying the game just past the midway point of the period. It was his fourth goal in just three games in the series, and really his fourth goal in two games as the Knights were shut out in Game 2.

Sean Monahan would come to the Flames rescue again about three minutes later as the Flames converted for a powerplay goal. A 3-on-2 rush slowly broke into a 4-on-3 but a pass from Mark Giordano was able to find Monahan in space and he made a quick move on Lehner before scoring. Calgary had the 3-2 lead with just 5:00 to play.

The lead would be very short lived this time around as Mark Stone would tie the game for Vegas just 1:14 later and set the stage for the Flames first overtime game of the playoffs. Shots finished at 35-32 in regulation.

In overtime Sean Monahan turned into a superstar, launching four shots over his first two shifts of the extra frame. It was his fourth and final shot that did the trick.

After setting up Andrew Mangiapane for a chance that just missed, he continued his long shift before Rasmus Andersson found him streaking towards the slot from the right faceoff circle. Monahan walked into the slot and put a wrist shot past Lehner’s blocker and off the post to give the Flames a 4-3 victory and record a hat trick. As mentioned, it was the Flames first hat trick since 1995 in the playoffs.

The Flames will have the opportunity to finish the series on Monday night in Game 4. Sean Monahan currently leads the way in playoff scoring for the Flames thanks to his 10 points through 6 games.

Flame of the Game

Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Sean Monahan (F): Not much more can be said than what’s already been said. It was the biggest performance of Monahan’s career to date and the Flames will get a great opportunity to advance as a result. Monahan now has 13 playoff goals in his career which would tie him for 12th all-time on the Flames list with Gary Roberts.

Other NHL 20 Playoff Series Scores

Last Night

(4) Dallas Stars 5 vs (5) Edmonton Oilers 2 (Stars lead series 2-0)

(2) Colorado Avalanche 2 vs (7) Nashville Predators 3 (OT) (Series Tied 1-1)

(3) Washington Capitals 4 vs (8) Toronto Maple Leafs 1 (Series Tied 1-1)

(2) Tampa Bay Lightning 0 vs (10) Florida Panthers 2 (Series Tied 1-1)

Today

(1) St. Louis Blues 1 @ (9) Minnesota Wild 2 (2OT) (Blues lead series 2-1)

(1) Boston Bruins 2 @ (11) New York Rangers 1 (2OT) (Bruins lead series 2-1)

(4) Philadelphia Flyers 1 @ (5) Pittsburgh Penguins 3 (Penguins lead series 2-1)